Raising children in a sometimes unhealthy culture
I have never watched the show “Toddlers and Tiaras”, and I never will, but have accidentally seen previews for it that pretty much horrify me. It is the extreme, to me, of what the media can do to encourage body image distortion. There are many other equally negative issues associated with that show, but I’ll focus on just this one. You don’t have to watch this show, though, to see the culture of body image distortion; you only have to stand in line at the grocery store and read the headlines, and see the photos, on most magazines.
C. S. Lewis, the British novelist and Christian apologist once said, “You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body.” Our society sometimes has that mixed up. It promotes that you have a soul, and that you are a body.
I know that encouraging a healthy body image is going to be a priority for me as I raise my own daughter; by diligence in supervision of what she watches on TV; by confronting distortions and setting them right when she becomes aware of them; and, most of all, for giving her the constant message that she is beautiful just as she is. And, she truly is.
What are some ways that you confront with your children body image distortions promoted in our culture today? How do you handle the questions? How do you dispel the myths your children begin to believe?
Brenda Schultz lives in Milton. She is a stay at home mom of a 3-year-old, formerly a public school teacher. She cares for other children part-time, and teaches beginning piano. Brenda is a community blogger and is not a part of The Gazette staff. Her opinion is not necessarily that of the The Gazette staff or management.
Jul 1, 2011 at 4:28 p.m.
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winston~ Amen brother!
Jul 1, 2011 at 4:14 p.m.
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cartrader- good post. With all due respect, no culture can stand unless men be MEN. Just as you say, being a male is a matter of birth, being a MAN is a matter of choice! God bless!
Jul 1, 2011 at 1:36 p.m.
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Word to all the women out there: Being female is a matter of birth. Being a woman is a matter of age. But being a LADY... Now that's a matter of choice...just sayin...choose better.
Jul 1, 2011 at 9:38 a.m.
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The best way a parent can raise their children is to LEAD them. If the parent is a couch potato, the kids will be. If the parent is abusive, the kids will be. It's not that complicated. We have too many parents who have been dummed down by their past and present, therefore, many of them can't even lead in their own homes which is where infact, it ALL starts.
Jul 1, 2011 at 9:02 a.m.
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I have 3 daughters so I am always trying to be aware of how what they watch, read, see, and hear could effect their body image. One thing that I have noticed especially this summer is the amount of v cut swimsuits and shirts marketed at our little girls! These are not little women, they are little girls. It makes me sick that parents don't think about sexualizing their girls even if it is "just a swimsuit." I think it's the way we dress our kids, the way our spouses treat women, the way we talk about our own bodies that will shape our little girls. So far my girls (ages 5 and under) have not made any negative body comments and I will be very sad if/when they do.
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